House of Lords
by Shadow.of.Illusion
Summary: Higurashi Kagome was an ordinary young woman, as normal as one could possibly be as the Guardian Miko of the Shikon no Tama. An unwanted summons from the Youkai House of Lords could possibly make her stand out a little more. on HIATUS due to deleted files
1. Prologue

**:: House of Lords ::**

by Shadow.of.Illusion

**Summary:** Higurashi Kagome was an ordinary young woman… well, as normal as one could possibly be considering she is the Guardian Miko of the Shikon no Tama. Having received an invitation to appear before the Youkai House of Lords might just make her stand out a little more. After all, what has a miko to do with youkai affairs?

Okay, who decided that I didn't want to be normal?!

**Disclaimer: **Why on earth would I want to own Inuyasha (the series)? I'd probably mess it up and have millions of angry fans after me. :P Don't own, and don't want it. Now if I could own the characters...

**WARNING!** This is my first attempt at an Inuyasha fanfiction, so characters will sadly be a little OOC (not intentional). Also, OC's will be prevalent throughout this tale, but only to flesh out the chapters. Basically, they're needed filler. Any constructive criticism offered will be greatly appreciated, anything offered in a rude manner will be ignored. Just a heads up. There will be Japanese words sprinkled in this here and there, it helps to avoid using demon, priestess, etc. over and over. Usually it's fairly self-explanatory, but if it causes too much confusion, I'll include a list of definitions with the next chapter.

Enjoy!

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**Prologue:** **House of Lords**

Fortis Luna, the majestic palace of the Western Lands, seemed to know no such thing as silence. Chaos reigned within, as verbal disputes escalated to physical violence—the youkai contained by the sheltering walls of the indomitable fortress intentionally letting their control over their inner beast slip.

It had started off fairly peacefully, the Lord of the Inu-youkai mused silently, until someone growled out the fact that he could not be considered a true lord until he had claimed a mate. Someone that was fit to rule at his side. If there was possibly such a creature existing, he might consider it, if only to keep his father's lands and vassals under control. His honor required that much of him.

However… the powerful youkai's stare, twin piercing golden orbs hooded beneath long, dark lashes swept over the room, his disdain for the entire affair evident. Three other council Lords watched the spectacle before them with similar expressions upon their aristocratic features.

The Lord of the Northern Lands stood up regally, the Kitsune Daiyoukai commanding instant attention from his entourage. Eyes the color of dusk narrowed at those who would dare to continue with their relentless spats, causing the guilty parties to gulp quietly and cease. Ignoring the brief scuffles that still insisted on being heard here and there within the great circular space of the hearing room, he bowed slightly to the Lord of the Western Lands.

"It has come to our attention, Sesshoumaru-sama, that your vassals have begun to worry for your lack of a mate. Without a strong pup to continue your revered father's bloodline, we fear that perhaps those less loyal to you," the fox's almond-shaped orbs narrowed at a few youkai, causing them to squirm in their seats, "would try to take advantage of this fact. We have no doubts as to your competency for leadership, but the council would highly advise you to select a worthy mate soon."

"What about that human wench he keeps within his home?" A hiss of laughter greeted the remark of the Lord of the Southern Lands. The Sune-ku Daiyoukai's emerald eyes gleamed in mockery of the slight frown curling Sesshoumaru's thin lips. "Or is the wench just a cheap whore you keep around for laughs, Sesshoumaru-_sama_?"

"Silence, you fool!" A bright flash of fire forced the snake to swallow whatever retort had been upon the tip of his forked tongue. All eyes turned to watch the Fenikkusu Daiyoukai stand as well. "Have we not had enough to suffer through this ridiculous excuse of a gathering without your trite words to fan the flames?"

"Wouldn't you like that though, Hideharu-sama!" came an unnamed voice from somewhere in the gathering.

His flame-colored eyes crinkled at the corners as the phoenix allowed a booming laugh to ring through the room, "Where I live has nothing to do with the tone of this conversation."

"_Is_ this a conversation?" His mate, known far and wide for her beauty and unparalleled wisdom, shrugged her slim shoulders underneath the gentle gold tones of her kimono that perfectly complemented the similar shade of her long, unbound hair, "I thought it an argument."

Her words caused many of the higher ranked youkai to laugh, jostling their seated neighbors at how foolish they had been acting. The lower ranked youkai, however, didn't quite seem to grasp the Lady's meaning but laughed heartily along with the rest.

Sesshoumaru held up his hand, and the silence could not come quickly enough. With a gesture for his compatriots to seat themselves, he rose gracefully from his seat to address the room.

"This Sesshoumaru will consider the council's advice. If there is no further matters to be attended to, let us adjourn."

As the creatures filed out of the room, dispersing to wherever they pleased, the four lords looked at each other and knew for certain this matter would not be considered over. Fortis Luna would not see peace for some time yet.

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"Wench!"

"Osuwari!"

The resounding thud shook the earth, and sent a youkai child into wild gales of laughter as bundles of snow fell from the trees overhead. A wide, person-shaped hole in the frozen ground let loose a colorful string of expletives towards the offending party, earning a free ticket to travel another couple feet into the earth.

Off to a reasonable distance, a female taijiya and a male houshi watched the all-too familiar scene play out.

"Perhaps Inuyasha should learn to treat Kagome-chan better before he ends up as a permanent part of the ground," the woman pondered aloud while polishing a giant boomerang, her favorite weapon—Hiraikotsu.

"Ah, but then there would be nothing for Kagome-sama to do to relieve our boredom." Her companion eyed her lithe curves with an appreciative gleam residing in his dark violet orbs. His wandering hand moved in for the kill, not of his own personal volition of course…

WHAM!

"_Hentai_!!"

The kitsune kit doubled over in laughter, his tiny frame shaking with mirth. His glee only served to further aggravate the hole's current occupant.

A muffled threat arose, but the young miko paid no attention to it as she stalked away in high dudgeon. Her shoes, an odd spectacle in sight of the footwear mainly worn by the average human, made a definitive clomping sound against the snow-covered ground.

"Kagome-chan…"

A bright, cheerful smile was sent her way in response to the worried tone of the taijiya's voice. "Nothing to worry about, Sango-chan. I just need some downtime, that's all." _Not like I can ever get any anyway._

A silver head poked out of the hole, large amber-gold eyes spitting furious sparks. "And I'm sayin' you don't need time off! We've got to finish collecting the shards! Unless _someone_ happened to forget whose fault it was to begin with!"

_Twitch_.

The two tiny silver-white puppy ears on top of Inuyasha's head flattened instantly at the look on Kagome's face. He knew instantly that he shouldn't have gone there. Too bad hindsight's 20/20, and payback is…

Blue eyes, normally a calm and lively color, now gleamed with an odious grey sheen—like smoke upon the sea.

"_Osuwari_."

THUD!

Flocks of birds, startled from their mid-morning song, winged upwards in a frantic pattern to escape from Inuyasha's Forest and the irate miko within.

_Honestly, it's bad enough to finally figure out that your first love will never return your feelings, and to know that you're not considered half as good as _their_ first love—but come on! To just blame me like that… again!_

Ignoring the worried looks her friends shot her, Kagome marched past them to the lonely part of the wood where her path home lay. An ancient dry well stood by the even more ancient statuesque Goshiboku, the Tree of Ages. Running her calloused fingertips, rough from years of archery, across the worn, dark wood, she prepared to leap.

A sharp pulse of magic burst across her miko senses, causing the woman to pause and tense. Her blue eyes flitted about the forestry about her as if trying to spot the unseen opponent.

She could feel it. The bleak atmosphere that chilled the air now turned nature's pleasant song to an odious cry; souls that should have been allowed to depart in peace were being drawn in by the now-visible soul collectors, the Shinidamachu. The long insect-like beings glowed with a pale blue sheen against the backdrop of the dark trees, announcing the un-dead miko's presence.

The musical call then drifted to her, a pure call of power to power that overrode the dark chill of the Shinidamachu. Kagome almost sighed with relief—the shard was still untainted. She lifted a hand to cradle the small bottle containing the few shards she possessed, the light weight of it soothing against her neck. Soothing, and at the same time a heavy burden.

The Kami of Fate seemed to think she was her personal playtoy. The woman huffed at the stray thought, sending a few of her short ebony bangs upwards. It was unfair, but really, what could she do about it?

"Kikyo-san?" Opting to err on the polite side, just in case the other miko was in a not-so-pleasant mood, Kagome stepped forward and away from the well.

With nary a sound, save the brief rustle of leaves underneath a frosty blanket of powdered snow, the older miko stepped out of the shadows to greet her reincarnation. The dull gleam of a shikon jewel in her hand made her reason for coming all too clear.

"You found it!"

Kikyo shot her a brief look that stated more than words could ever.

"I mean, of _course_ you found it!" _Good grief…_

Taking the offered shard, Kagome watched with a small measure of exhilaration as the shard became completely purified and began to glow a soft, pale pink. She slipped it carefully into the container housing the other jewel shards.

"The youkai are restless."

Startled out of her brief reverie induced by studying the shards that had made her life difficult, Kagome looked up. Blue orbs met brown and held their stare, the girl's confusion evident.

Kikyo looked up toward the darkening heavens, almost completely sheltered from view by the canopy of entwined leafy branches above. "Something is amiss, perhaps the youkai lords have begun to fight amongst themselves."

"But—but why?" The younger miko stuttered, trying to figure out where on earth she was going with this or why she would even care about youkai matters.

"Prepare yourself, Kagome." She owed it to Inuyasha to warn his friend of the possible danger that lay ahead. She owed it to Kagome to help her protect herself. The excitable miko's blessing on her and Inuyasha's relationship had not gone unnoticed or ignored, despite the others' opinions.

She was honorable, and she would repay her debts.

"The miko of the Shikon Jewel might be called upon to assist in their disputes, as an unbiased judge. You might also be called upon, by your position as a miko, to eliminate the youkai causing mischief within the courts."

"H-hey! Don't I get a say in any of this?!"

Kikyo continued on, ignoring the comment, "Prepare yourself. To be called upon while weak would inspire little respect for your position."

Heat flared upon Kagome's face, her pale skin suddenly flushing a scarlet red. Before she could manage an intelligible response, however, the older miko had departed.

Seeing that any chance to retaliate, if it were possible to do so without seeming like an idiot in front of the other woman, was gone—Kagome's mind began to try to wrap around the new information she had received.

"What on earth is a youkai court?" Images of regal looking youkai in judges' wigs popped up, and she squashed that idea flat. _Nope, probably _not_ it._ A vision of Sesshoumaru wielding Toukijin, permanently removing any offending youkai seemed to be more in order. _Right, so there's probably a lot of guys like him, and they're fighting each other? Great._

She clapped her hands together in an effort to banish all thoughts of the matter, "Right, first things first!" Spinning on her heel, she vaulted neatly over the side of the well and let the bright blue light of the portal's magic whisk her home.

A long bath and a huge bowl of oden was most definitely in order.

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_**:: End Notes ::**_

Hope you enjoyed it! I will update every two weeks, so do send me a review or message if you like the story:)


	2. Batting OneThousand

**:: House of Lords ::**

by Shadow.of.Illusion

**Summary:** Higurashi Kagome was an ordinary young woman… well, as normal as one could possibly be considering she is the Guardian Miko of the Shikon no Tama. Having received an invitation to appear before the Youkai House of Lords might just make her stand out a little more. After all, what has a miko to do with youkai affairs?

Okay, who decided that I didn't want to be normal?!

**Disclaimer: **Why on earth would I want to own Inuyasha (the series)? I'd probably mess it up and have millions of angry fans after me. :P Don't own, and don't want it. Now if I could own the characters...

**WARNING!** See the first chapter. I did forget to mention, however, that this story is slightly AU.

Many thanks to Dragoness Fohama and Cream-Bunny156 for reviewing!! Hope you enjoy this chapter!

(**Edit:** Thank you j.j. ryan for pointing that phrase out. For those of you who didn't catch my mistake, don't worry about it. Also, I forgot to turn on anonymous reviews, so those who would like to review anonymously now can.)

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**Chapter 1: Batting One-Thousand**

There are days, then there are _days_, and then there are _days_. If you follow.

For Higurashi Kagome, it was one of those _days_. In a desperate attempt to hide from her friends who would insist on trying to coerce her into another date with Hojo, she found herself holed up in her room while her grandfather explained calmly to the girls downstairs that: No, Kagome could not go out because she was indeed still sick with… mononucleosis. The same excuse he had offered _last week_. Maybe it was easier for him to use long-term illnesses now that his creative spurt had finally died away.

Pulling a fluffy white pillow over her head to try to drown out the embarrassing observations that followed the mention of that particular disease, she groaned into the firm, non-comforting surface of her bed.

_Why me?? _

Too bad Inuyasha probably wouldn't come back to get her for another day yet. Maybe, just maybe, she'd surprise them by coming back early. After all, since she had graduated from school the year before—there was really nothing pressing to do in her time.

_Hmmm…_ one blue eye was uncovered to peer despondently around the room, noting the obvious lack of a certain loud, and rather uncouth hanyou. Then again, she_ really _didn't want to go back and end up finding out firsthand just what Kikyo had meant in her cryptic warning. Decisions, decisions.

With another groan, the young woman wriggled deeper into the warmth of her bed. She'd decide later—right now, she wanted some time to herself without the past or the future hanging over her head. A quick knock at her door removed any chance of lulling herself to sleep and shook away the brief urge to do so.

Kagome peered around the shelter of her bedroom door, eyeing the young man outside it with a look kin to dismay and resignation. "Hey, Hojo-san."

"Ah, Higurashi-san! I brought this special new medicine that's supposed to help eliminate your illness." A small, violently bright orange bag decorated with lime green swirls made the girl nauseous just by staring at it.

"Ummmm… thanks?" She accepted the bag with no small amount of trepidation, and tried to paste on a smile for the worried male. "This is really nice of you, but…"

He held up his hand, a bright smile on his face, "I know, you won't be able to go out for a while, but I'll make sure to take you somewhere nice once you're feeling better."

_Why can't he take a hint?_ "Sure…" Another smile forced itself upon her face as she waved goodbye to Hojo. Even after graduating high school, the boy still carried a torch for Kagome—something she would feel almost irked about if she had ceased to feel sorry for him.

A sigh escaped her lips as she studied the bag in her hand. "What can you do, right?" Another look at the bag made up the girl's mind. It soon found a home in her desk drawer, buried among Hojo's many other gifts she had long ago resolved should never see the light of day. Regarding the stuffed drawer with a long-suffering expression, she pushed it closed with a little difficulty.

"Maybe Souta could use some of this stuff?"

"What stuff?"

Kagome nearly jumped at her brother's sudden appearance, and dealt him a glare that by all rights should have struck him dead where he stood, cheshire cat grin and all.

"Sorry, sis! Didn't mean to startle you, honest!" The boy held up his hands in mock surrender. Last thing he needed was an earful from Kagome. Really, it wasn't like she was known for being especially verbose when angry.

Opting to let it go, the young woman pointed toward the not quite shut drawer. "Feel free to help yourself."

Curiosity got the better of Souta (he had always wondered about the 'present drawer') and found the boy digging through the mess with an odd expression upon his features. He held up one of his more interesting finds. "What _is_ this?"

Kagome studied the odd metal pocket-watch, little planets and stars around the edges that could possibly be taking the place of numbers—but there were far too many of them for that. Little knobs adorned the outside to be either twisted or pushed in. "I… really have no clue."

A dark brow rose at his sibling's response, "How could you not know? He gave it to _you_."

One of her eyes twitched at the jibe. "_You_ try remembering what all that stuff is!"

Souta made a non-committal grunt and turned back to his earlier activity.

"Kagome-chan," her mother's voice drifted from downstairs, "Your oden is ready!"

"Kiyaa! I completely forgot!" She dashed downstairs at a breakneck pace, leaving her brother staring after her.

"Yep, she's crazy." With a shrug, he began to shove everything back into place, deciding it was best after all to not know what the older male had given his sister. Sometimes ignorance is bliss.

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Sesshoumaru stared blankly at the opposite wall of his spacious room, looking—to all extents and purposes—as if he were meditating. This issue had become an annoyance to the daiyoukai, and he was fast tiring of it. He longed to simply be able to travel once again. The vast lands called to his blood, and even traveling with Jaken would be preferable than to sit here with those insufferable fools that dared to interfere with his personal matters.

His hands clenched, a menacing pale green light signaling the waves of poison that danced within his veins appeared about his clawed fingertips. He was definitely irate. If only he could release some of his pent up energy and frustrations upon the snake lord; of course, if an opportunity presented itself, he would be unhesitant to act upon it. The vermin did, after all, insult both Rin's honor and his own.

The council had demanded that they be allowed to take up the task of seeking out someone fit to be his mate. A brief smirk played at the corner of his mouth as he remembered just how exactly he had curbed that particular stipulation.

"Jakeeeeeeeeen-saaaaamaaaaaaaaa!!" Rin's youthful tones rang out in the wide hallways outside of the expanse of his room. Two pairs of thundering footsteps and the fresh scent of flowers let the youkai lord know all there was to be told about their actions. Rin wanted the little toad to play with her in the palace gardens again, which usually ended up with Jaken's appearance resembling an ugly miniature flower shrub.

It amused him to no end every time, however, so he allowed the human child to continue on with her torture of the faithful vassal. Perhaps, in time she would take pity upon Jaken and end this 'play'—but until then, he would take whatever small distraction they created in the meantime.

Jaken threw open the chamber doors, a wild look in his bulging yellow eyes before noticing that his lord was in the room. He fell to the ground face-first, a rambling stream of apologies pouring from his beaked mouth.

"….Sesshoumaru-sama! This Jaken had no idea you were here, but that wretched human child wouldn't…"

Opting to tune out the imp's complaints mixed in with various expressions of regret for interrupting his lord's peace, the daiyoukai allowed his gaze to roam towards the doorway where his ward leaned heavily against the doorway; a large cluster of brightly colored blossoms in her small hands and tears of mirth streaming down her youthful cheeks. Absently, he wondered whether her eyes would glow in a similar fashion when the girl's youth faded.

"Rin is sorry for disturbing Sesshoumaru-sama." She bowed in apology, as her instructors had so painstakingly taught her. Sesshoumaru couldn't help but feel slightly regretful that he had provided such training for the human. It had changed the wild, free-spirited child into a still high-spirited, but somewhat reserved young woman-to-be.

Time would take its toll. He would learn to cope with it.

Lightly moving to his feet, the Inu-youkai stepped forward, on top of Jaken, to exit the room. Perhaps he would also find some peace in the garden.

"Jaken-sama?"

A slightly muffled, "What, human?" was her response as the small youkai tried to extricate himself from the hard floor.

The girl's deep brown eyes held a pensive look, her head tilted to regard the hallway her lord had exited from. "Sesshoumaru-sama does not seem to be pleased with his guests."

Jaken snorted loudly, brushing imaginary dust off his brown tunic with exaggerated care as he stood up. "Of course Sesshoumaru-sama is not pleased with them. The foolish youkai dare to meddle in Sesshoumaru-sama's personal affairs, and—" he paused suddenly, his wide eyes darting about the room as if looking for an invisible eavesdropper.

After a few tense seconds, the small demon turned to face Rin, a serious look upon his face. "It would be best to not speak of this further."

Rin nodded in understanding, her dark hair bobbing cheerfully with the movement. Her gaze dropped down to the almost forgotten flora in her hands, and a mischievous twinkle began to glimmer in her eyes. "Jaaakeeen-saaamaaa…"

"No!" he squawked loudly in protest. Seeing that the girl was not about to cease her advance, the youkai dashed for the nearest exit with as much speed as he could muster—the young girl hard upon his heels.

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Snow had begun to fall, blanketing the large garden with a thin, velvety layer of pristine white. The air was icy cold, and danced upon the winds with good-natured glee as it sent the delicate snowflakes swirling in the aftermath of its path. Having dressed earlier for the council's meeting in simple, but ornate traditional robes of pure white, Sesshoumaru easily blended in with his surroundings; the scarlet flowered honeycomb crest of his clan that fell across his right shoulder being the only object that would give the daiyoukai away from any distance.

It was peaceful here; the only place remaining that could still be considered so. The invading, in his opinion, youkai sought out the warmth of the palace and were more than content to remain indoors in such weather.

At least, most usually did.

"Sesshoumaru-sama."

He turned, golden eyes narrowing at the intruder.

Hideharu, Lord of the Eastern Lands, stepped around a large, still-blossoming bush to greet the Inu-youkai. The circular golden circle on his forehead gleamed against his pale skin and contrasted almost sharply with the jet-black bangs that swept over his forehead. Unlike Sesshoumaru, who wore his long silver hair down, Hideharu wore his flowing locks up in a high, tight warrior's knot.

All in all, they were each other's complete opposite. Perhaps that was the only reason they were, in a sense, friends.

"Hideharu-sama," the Western Lord stated in greeting.

The phoenix daiyoukai stared at him, his ruby eyes contemplative and almost worried. "The council will not always be swayed by such displays of power."

"When have they not?" Sesshoumaru rejoined, his tone dry.

"You will place your future mate and pup in jeopardy, if you continue with such acts. You may be able to protect yourself, Sesshoumaru, but you may not always be capable of protecting that which is your own."

The Inu-youkai snarled, fangs bared at the insult. "This Sesshoumaru—"

"Just a warning between friends," Hideharu held up a hand in a placating gesture. "I do not wish to see such a thing come to pass, and I will only be able to help so much." He turned his fire-bright gaze to the clouded heavens, "Even the Lord of the Northern Lands would offer his assistance, but he will only be able to do so much as well."

Silence greeted him, but the phoenix knew that his friend would ponder over his words, and so left it be to latch onto another topic.

"The legends say the Miko of the Shikon Jewel, the Daughter of Time, will appear by the next new moon."

Sesshoumaru turned his gaze away to rest somewhere between the palace and a nearby rose bush.

"They say whoever claims the miko will possess the power of Time itself, and her progeny will add tremendous power to any clan, despite her being a human," Hideharu continued, unperturbed by the continuing silence. "Of course," he pretended to ponder for a moment, "I am sure that you have already heard of this legend?" At the Western Lord's lack of speech, the Fenikkusu-youkai decided to irritate him with unnecessary explanations. "No? Well then, this Hideharu shall inform—"

"This Sesshoumaru already knows of what you would tell him," came the pointed interruption.

"Ah, well then, perhaps you would accept my help in finding her?"

A slim, silver-white eyebrow rose in response to the question.

"You're not getting any younger."

"If this Sesshoumaru were as old as you, then worry would have a cause to exist." A brief smirk played at the corners of the Inu-youkai's thin lips at the indignant expression Hideharu gave him.

"My Lords." A female's voice rang clearly out to them, causing the males to turn and regard her entry. "The day has died, Hideharu-sama, and the night has begun her reign."

He chuckled slightly at his mate's pattern of speech. "Apologies, Yukiro, I will return shortly." Shooting Sesshoumaru a look that blatantly stated he would not drop this matter, nor should the Inu-youkai forget it, he turned to follow her inside the relative warmth and comfort the fortress provided.

Silence reigned once more, the whispers of the wind breaking it occasionally to convey a new swirl of snowflakes. Golden eyes gazed up at the fast-darkening sky, narrowed as he pondered on the recent conversation.

Control over his destiny was slipping away like grains of sand in his grasp, and the daiyoukai did not care for it at all. Perhaps he would send Jaken later to gather more information on this miko, as a precautionary measure. Though, his eyes narrowed even further in annoyance, he already had a theory as to who this troublesome miko might be.

That ignorant hanyou's wench would throw another stumbling block into his plans.

Elsewhere, in two completely different time periods, Kagome and Inuyasha both sneezed simultaneously.

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_**:: End Notes ::**_

I'm posting this a little early as I have a test to take this Saturday... (sighs) Ah well, not much I can do about that. Thank you all for reading this, and if you like it--please do leave a review!! I won't be able to access my computer until Saturday night, so it would be a nice pick-me-up. (coughhintcough) Until next time!

**--S.o.I.**


	3. Caught Up in the Madness

**:: House of Lords ::**

by Shadow.of.Illusion

**Summary:** Higurashi Kagome was an ordinary young woman… well, as normal as one could possibly be considering she is the Guardian Miko of the Shikon no Tama. Having received an invitation to appear before the Youkai House of Lords might just make her stand out a little more. After all, what has a miko to do with youkai affairs?

Okay, who decided that I didn't want to be normal?!

**Disclaimer: **Why on earth would I want to own Inuyasha (the series)? I'd probably mess it up and have millions of angry fans after me. :P Don't own, and don't want it. Now if I could own the characters...

**WARNING!** See the first chapter. I did forget to mention, however, that this story is slightly AU.

Many thanks to Dragoness Fohama, j.j. ryan, soubifan700, and AnimeMoonlightGoddess for reviewing!! Hope you enjoy this chapter!

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**Chapter 2: Caught Up in the Madness **

"_Whaaaat?!_"

Inuyasha winced at the high-pitched tone, his tiny triangle-shaped ears flattened against his head in an effort to ward off the offending pitch. "I'm just sayin', you can't come back just yet."

The young woman glared at him, her hands moving to a dangerous position on her hips, letting the hanyou know exactly just how ticked off she was. "And the reason for this sudden decision would be?"

"Look, it's for your own good!"

"And how would _you_ know what's good for me?!"

"Feh! Like you would know either!"

A tick formed over her left eye, cluing Inuyasha in to her next retort.

"_Osuwari!_"

Bam! 

Souta watched from a safe distance with his grandfather, both undecided as to whether they should laugh or be worried for the hanyou's health. The two looked up as the front door opened.

"Mom!" Kagome noticed mid-rant that her mother had entered and felt slightly sheepish that she had had to see her daughter act so immature.

"Kagome-chan, is that Inuyasha?"

Blue eyes drifted down to the definitely furious, and infuriating, prostrated form on the floor. "Yeah." After receiving a mildly disapproving glare, Kagome held up her hands to ward off a lecture. "He's telling me I can't go back to the past!"

"_Iforyurunguwd_!"

All three humans stared at the body currently trying to remove itself from their kitchen floor.

"Come again?" her mother finally asked.

"Feh!" The subjugating spell finally released Inuyasha from his decidedly uncomfortable position, and he sat up with a glare firmly fixed on his exotic features. "It's for your own good!"

"And what, exactly, is the reason I need to stay here?" Kagome persisted, unwilling to just give up that part of her life for an unknown period of time. Her own brows furrowed to match the white-haired male's as he mumbled an excuse. "I can't hear you."

"The youkai council's looking for you," he finally stated after a few tense minutes had passed.

Her heart gave an unpleasant throb as she recalled Kikyo's last words to her. "And?"

"Are you _that_ dumb?" Inuyasha backed off rapidly from his irate manner as the girl began to look more than a little incensed. "There's this prophecy thing goin' round, and they seem to be sure it's you."

Kagome blinked. _Prophecy?_

"Just stay on this side for a while. I'll come back and get you when it blows over."

She fingered the bottle of shards around her neck, her blue eyes clouded with an emotion Inuyasha wasn't able to name, "What about the shards?"

He grunted, as if the answer was obvious. "Kikyo's going to help us."

"Oh. Okay."

The Inu-hanyou shifted in his seat, feeling suddenly uncomfortable with the tone of her voice. This was going to go into one of those territories he had absolutely no clue as to what to do with her in. Saying the wrong thing could drive another wedge between them or could possibly get him sat. Either way, he wasn't planning on sticking around to see which one would play out. "I'd better get going."

"Yeah."

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Kagome stared almost wistfully out of a window at the retreating hanyou's form, the red of his clothes standing out as a bright beacon against the snow. Tapping her fingers against the frosted glass, she looked thoughtful for a moment. "I'll just go back the week after next," she decided out loud. "He won't be able to take me back 'cause of the new moon."

With that resolution in place, she set about enjoying the remainder of her free time. It wasn't in her nature to dwell over disheartening subjects, and she was not about to change that particular quirk in her personality. Besides, Christmas was just around the corner, as her brother had been exceptionally quick to inform her of earlier that day. Shopping might be a good way to pass some time… unless she ran into her "friends."

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"I'm going out, Mom!"

Closing the door to the small house firmly behind her, Kagome set off. Clad in the sheltering warmth of a thick navy blue jacket she had received last year from her family, she cheerfully puffed into the winter air to watch her breath freeze in little clouds. At least in this time, she could enjoy the weather without worrying about youkai.

A car beeped loudly at her as she jerked back onto the sidewalk, completely startled out of her reverie.

"This isn't a racetrack, you moron!" she bellowed after the sports car's disappearing form. _Nope, no youkai. Just insane drivers who want to squish you flat without any second thoughts._

The girl sighed and looked up at the snow-filled heavens, "Why does even trying to shop have to be difficult?"

Fifteen minutes later found Kagome in front of a tiny, out-of-the-way bookstore, peering through the frosted windows to try to see what lay within. She hadn't planned on buying any books, or visiting a bookstore for that matter. Her feet had wandered where they would and had landed her in front of this store.

She pinched the bridge of her nose in mild aggravation. Her miko powers had flared slightly in response to this place, not in defense, but in acknowledgement of the spiritual powers that lay within. Definitely something to be wary about.

The door opened suddenly, startling the girl into a muffled shriek.

"Come in, child! You'll catch your death of cold out here!" An elderly woman half scolded, half invited the young miko as she ushered her in without any further ceremony. Her wizened face, lined with wrinkles that hinted boldly of her jovial nature, only added to the tiny woman's immediate charm. Her ebony-blue kimono served to bring out the darkness of her black eyes and the silver of her bound hair.

Kagome soon found herself seated in a comfortable, though old, chair with a steaming cup of tea cradled in her hands.

"Now then, what brings you to my humble shop today, Kagome?" the woman peered at her younger counterpart over the rim of her mug, dark eyes sparkling with humor and wisdom.

"Well, I—," Kagome paused, startled into silence. "Wait a sec, how'd you know my name?"

A laugh trilled out of the aged woman's lips, "My dear, I've been expecting you for a good while now."

Suddenly defensive, the girl's delicate brows furrowed over narrowed, stormy eyes. "That doesn't answer my question, ma'am."

"Higurashi Kagome, the Daughter of Time and Guardian Miko of the Shikon no Tama, it is my privilege to be your sensei for the next two weeks." She winked at the girl's dumbstruck expression, "And do call me Anju, _ma'am_ makes me feel old."

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Left, right. Left, right. Twin practice blades met and hissed at the sheer force of impact, sparks flying and the reflections of their respective owners dancing madly across the shimmering ice-blue surface of the deadly steel weapons. A graceful twist and a flick of one warrior's wrist sent his opponent's blade spinning wildly from the now numb grasp and elicited a loud grunt of pain.

The female youkai present watched with ill-concealed appreciation of the older warrior's body, stripped to the waist and faintly gleaming with sweat from his prior workout. Those who were not slavering over the older male cast sympathetic looks toward the younger youkai who had just lost the match.

The young male gulped as he felt the cold bite of steel at his throat, a thin, warm trickle of blood slithering from the shallow wound to mingle with the heavy coat of perspiration that clung to his lithe body. His ruby orbs, inherited from both parents, gazed up in wide-eyed admiration mixed with no small trace of apprehension into the cold, distant golden pair of eyes above him.

"You win, Sesshoumaru-sama." The boy managed to breathe out the admission of defeat without stuttering.

The Inu-youkai slid his weapon into the broad yellow sash wrapped around his slim waist. He offered the boy a curt nod of acknowledgement before turning to gaze at the father of his opponent. "Have you come to lose as well, Hideharu?" Flicking back stray locks of his long silver-blue hair, he bit back a smirk at the displeased looked that crossed the Fenikkusu-youkai's face upon hearing the Western Lord's jibe.

"Would you compare a fledgling to this Hideharu?"

Sesshoumaru then did smirk, sensing the biting tone behind the mild question. "Is he not your chick?"

"He is his mother's." Hideharu stated calmly, sending a wink towards his son who shot him a scowl in reply.

"As much _your_ son as hers," the boy growled out, wiping at his face with the back of his arm.

The phoenix laughed loudly, and rubbed at one of the twin midnight blue stripes that ran beneath his right eye, "Yes, that is the truth." He cleared his throat loudly, "That matter aside, I have need of your assistance, Sesshoumaru." _I have information_, his eyes read.

"Hn." Shrugging on a grey-blue haori, the Inu-youkai removed the blade from his side and tossed it to a waiting servant. He pivoted lightly on his heel to follow the Lord of the Eastern Lands out of the training hall to a more private enclosure, only pausing to retrieve Toujikin and Tenseiga before exiting.

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"Concentrate! Focus on your power, Kagome!" Anju frowned, her thin eyebrows furrowing at the girl's apparent lack of effort. Sending out tendrils of her own power, she covertly studied the young miko's energy levels, and disliked what she read.

"Stop."

Kagome turned, sweat dripping uncomfortably down her forehead and back from her prior endeavor. "What?"

The elderly miko crossed the room, her expression stern. A tiny, wizened finger poked the girl's chest hard. "You must remove the darkness, the bitterness from here," a rather painful poke emphasized each word. "Whatever has caused your sorrow must be removed, not buried."

Rubbing at the sore spot, blue eyes regarded Anju warily. "What do you mean?"

"You know very well what I mean, Kagome. Do not play games with me, as your training will never be completed in time if you continue to do so."

A weary sigh escaped the young woman's lips as she turned her attention to study the rather interesting wooden panels that made up the small training room.

Minutes passed by slowly in utter silence, causing Anju to turn and leave, shaking her head at the girl's recalcitrance.

"_He left me_."

The soft statement, though almost whispered, carried throughout the entire room. A plaintive note wove itself into the confession.

Anju looked back, her dark eyes soft as she already knew the answer to her next question. "Who, child?"

A curt laugh followed by the smallest of sniffles ensued. "Inuyasha," her grey-blue eyes misted over with many, many memories of the hanyou. "He said he would protect me, and I guess somewhere along the way I thought it meant that he would protect my heart as well."

Tears began to steadily slide down her face, unbeknownst to Kagome. Her heart had been broken so many times, but never had she truly been allowed to mourn for her future, for what could have been. She had always pushed it to the back of her mind. She had refused to even think about it.

She had to be strong; her friends depended on her.

Anju watched the flow of tears, relieved and saddened for the woman-child all at once. This would be the first step in healing Kagome's bruised heart.

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_**:: End Notes ::**_

I'm really happy that so many people are reading this!! Please let me know what you all think of this story. :) I'm trying to better my writing while working on this, so a little at a time--hopefully this story will grow to be better.

**--S.o.I.**


	4. An Old Woman's Expectations

**:: House of Lords ::**

by Shadow.of.Illusion

**Summary:** Higurashi Kagome was an ordinary young woman… well, as normal as one could possibly be considering she is the Guardian Miko of the Shikon no Tama. Having received an invitation to appear before the Youkai House of Lords might just make her stand out a little more. After all, what has a miko to do with youkai affairs?

Okay, who decided that I didn't want to be normal?!

**Disclaimer: **Why on earth would I want to own Inuyasha (the series)? I'd probably mess it up and have millions of angry fans after me. :P Don't own, and don't want it. Now if I could own the characters...

**WARNING!** See the first chapter. I did forget to mention, however, that this story is slightly AU. (Kagome might be a little OOC in this chapter, but after the training she's going through--I have yet to meet a girl who wasn't a little over-the-top grumpy or on-edge during major workouts like this. Including myself, hahah.)

Many thanks to flirtymiyu, soubifan700, Artemis.L.Masters, duke2113, Azriya, cookiemonsterks, and sesshyl0verr for reviewing!! Hope you enjoy this chapter!

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**Chapter 3: An Old Woman's Expectations**

"_Why… is… this necessary… again_?" Kagome managed to huff out, after her thirtieth chin-up. She had thought, because of all her time in the Sengoku era, she would be a little more fit than this.

_Apparently not. _

The past three days had been perfectly miserable. Countless laps around the neighborhood had made her legs feel numb, hundreds of pushups and sit-ups had caused her arms and shoulders to ache desperately; and the list only went on and on.

_Can anyone say, 'boot-camp?'_

Anju tapped her finger against the dark surface of her mug, inhaling the warm scent of green tea. With an almost bored expression, she turned to answer the struggling girl. "Your body is not strong enough to release the power you carry within your spirit. In order to liberate that power, you must be stronger physically."

"What?!" Losing her concentration, Kagome felt her sweaty hands lose their grip on the cold iron bar. With an earsplitting shriek, she fell to land with a resounding thump on her posterior. "_Ooooww…_"

The elderly woman sniffed with an obvious lack of sympathy at her current protégé's plight. "Get up, don't waste the time you have now, you'll suffer later if you do."

"**I can't do this**!" The shriek—born of a tired, worn heart and a frustrated spirit—rang loudly throughout the room, bouncing off the wooden walls to ring once again in both of the women's ears.

Black eyes glittered dangerously into tear-filled blue orbs, "Is your heart that weak, Kagome?!"

The question sliced deeply into the young miko's spirit, slithering like poison through her mind. Always, _always_ she had been considered weak. Why else were her friends always protecting her with little thought to their own life? Their excuses always rang hollow in her ears and in her heart, as she knew better. The truth is forever a hard pill to swallow, and Kagome had long refused to do so.

_But then… _

_But now…_

_It's for your own good! _

She bent her head to hide the bitter tears. "I'm sorry, Anju, I'll try harder."

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Kagome did try, putting her heart and soul into her training like she never had before, and still it was miserable. Over the next few days, she quickly grew to loathe one training exercise more than anything else.

Meditation.

It felt as though she was grappling with an unseen force, and what was even more frustrating—it felt as though she were struggling with herself. Any effort she exerted against the force binding her 'potential powers,' as Anju would put it, felt as though it was being tossed right back into her face.

Needless to say, the young miko had grown quite irked with this particular training.

"I can't get rid of it, Anju!"

The elderly miko sighed, feeling as though she had done little else than that all day, "You have yet to release all the dark emotions within your heart. Let them go and unchain your spirit.

Become one with your spirit."

Blue eyes narrowed into dangerous slits, "That's so—!"

"Before you say it's 'stupid,' you should give it a try."

"All right," the girl grumbled, resentment filling her tone. With a heavier sigh than Anju, she began the long process of clearing her mind, focusing on one inner image that felt peaceful.

The Shikon no Tama shone gloriously in her mind's eye, the shimmering petal-pink jewel untainted at last. It glowed gently against a backdrop of solid black, and she couldn't help but wonder if the evil in the jewel had been expelled to float around it. Ebony locks, unbound that day, flew about as she shook her head in protest.

_So much for clearing my mind. _

She really didn't have the patience for this, and that was her problem. With yet another sigh, she focused inwardly and tried once again to remove everything. A pleased emotion welled up within as the miko noticed that it was starting to become easier.

Maybe just a little more time was needed. She felt the warm strength of her spiritual powers rise to answer her call. Pressing with all her might, her sight exploded with a searing eruption of pink before the darkness took her sight away completely.

Anju hurried over to where her student lay on the floor in a pathetic heap of tangled limbs, the girl's burst of power still nearly tangible in the air about her still form. She shook her head, silver locks shimmering in the pink echo of light that lingered about the room. Kneeling down, she pressed two wrinkled fingers against the young miko's smooth forehead, "Sleep well, Kagome."

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The next day came too early for Kagome's liking, dawn's pale pinks and oranges eclipsing the fading darkness of the sky. She groaned at the invading beams of sunlight and buried her face beneath the small pillow.

An icy coldness sharply pervaded her senses, turning her warm cocoon of blankets into an unpleasant wet heap upon her now shivering form. Kagome bolted upright with an unearthly shriek, flinging the damp blankets as far away from her body as possible. Glaring with undisguised fury at the culprit, she sulked in silence, knowing full well from prior experience that anything she said would be ignored or used against her.

"Today we shall work on your balance."

Kagome blinked, turning to face the elderly woman in confusion. "What?"

Walking towards the open doorway, the miko turned to look at her still seated pupil. "Hurry up and change, then meet me outside." A wrinkled hand slid the door pane closed behind her, leaving the girl's mind to run in circles.

"Why do I need to work on my balance? That's kind of weird." Granted, she wasn't the most graceful of beings, but she didn't stumble over everything in her path.

Tugging on a loose pair of black pants, she hurriedly slipped out of her nightgown and pulled on a faded baby pink t-shirt. Anju wasn't known for her patience, and Kagome knew from experience that if she failed to be dressed by the time the old woman's patience caved, then she'd be exercising in whatever she wore. Thankfully, if it was too indecent, she was allowed the courtyard and indoors.

However…

Kagome bit her lip, hard. She knew deep, deep, really deep down, that she needed this training—but she still hated a lot of it. Though, the girl pondered as she slipped on her sneakers, it had really helped her physical appearance. She had already been slender and somewhat toned, though riding on Inuyasha or Kirara's back had saved her from a lot of exertion, but now she was definitely in top shape. Or, getting there at least.

Dashing out the door, she skidded around the corner of the elderly miko's home, her sneakers squealing sharply against the polished wood flooring. Her ears barely registered this, however, in her mad dash to the back door. Last thing she needed was extra work for not being 'on time,' though the exact definition of those two words had yet to take on a more concrete form.

Anju looked up from her seat on the back porch, a thin silver brow rising at her student's early morning antics. "What's your hurry?"

Kagome slumped into a sitting position beside the miko, an "I can't believe _you_ would ask me that kind of a question!" look on her face.

"All right, down to business. We shall begin to work on your spiritual balance, the good and the bad must meet in equal quantities."

_Great. At least she doesn't think I'm a total klutz. _

Holding up both of her hands palms out in front of her, Anju frowned up at Kagome, dark eyes calculating and judging. "Mimic my movements exactly. The slightest mistake could kill you, or irreparably revoke your powers for the rest of your existence."

The blue-eyed girl nearly toppled over at the candid announcement. "Then why are we doing this?"

Anju stared at her as if in disbelief that she had been asked such a thing. "Don't worry about it and mirror my movements." Wizened old hands began a long series of slow movements, as if her hands were dancing with the gentle breeze that toyed with both of the women's hair.

Sweat beaded on Kagome's forehead as she fought to concentrate, causing her ebony bangs to stick unpleasantly. As she performed the last gesture Anju had finished just seconds ago, she found herself feeling very ill in a detached sort of manner. Her head spinned and her stomach rolled, but while she could feel them doing so, she could distance herself from the sensations.

"Now repeat after me."

Struggling through the sudden cloud that filled her mind and cloaked her senses, Kagome began to chant whatever Anju was saying. Darkness erupted and swallowed her whole. She fell into the void of her mind, screaming desperately all the way.

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"Inuyasha!!"

Her scream echoed hollowly against the impenetrable ebony walls that surrounded her like a long corridor stretching out before and behind her. The young miko sagged wearily against the walls, tears streaming down her face without her knowledge. This place, the sheer emptiness of it caused her to feel as though she were drowning in depression.

"Inuyasha…" She already knew that he wouldn't be able to come save her, but the name forced itself to her trembling lips anyway. _Where am I?_

"_You are in the Corridor of Memories_."

_Huh?_

"_You heard me the first time, Kagome. Now, walk straight ahead to the light_."

"What light, Anju?"

"_Start walking and you'll find it!_" Wincing at the sharp tone, the young miko stood up shakily and kept a hand to the wall as she slowly eased her way down the seemingly empty darkness.

Anju's hands still formed the last seal, enabling her to communicate to Kagome during this period. Her brows furrowed as she looked at her student's slumbering form, knowing she was about to put the girl through hell and back to finish this part of her training.

It was for the best. She had no regrets.

This was the only way to release her true spiritual potential. Still… the elderly woman shook her head to clear the thoughts away. Kagome needed this, and she would help the girl to prepare for her destiny.

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_**:: End Notes ::**_

Next chapter will be the end of divulging Kagome's training, for now, and will really see a breakthrough in her powers--so it'll be more interesting to read. At least, in my humble opinion. This was mainly filler, and necessary to show how Kagome is growing. Painful it was to post... (head-meets-desk)

I'm going to see if I can get the next chapter finished and posted early, to make up for this one. Do review and tell me what you think, so I can edit the next chapter if need be, heheh...

**--S.o.I.**


	5. Trouble Cubed

**:: House of Lords ::**

by Shadow.of.Illusion

**Summary:** Higurashi Kagome was an ordinary young woman… well, as normal as one could possibly be considering she is the Guardian Miko of the Shikon no Tama. Having received an invitation to appear before the Youkai House of Lords might just make her stand out a little more. After all, what has a miko to do with youkai affairs?

Okay, who decided that I didn't want to be normal?!

**Disclaimer: **Why on earth would I want to own Inuyasha (the series)? I'd probably mess it up and have millions of angry fans after me. :P Don't own, and don't want it. Now if I could own the characters...

**WARNING!** See the first chapter. I did forget to mention, however, that this story is slightly AU.

Many thanks to Cream-Bunny156, flirtymiyu, sesshyl0verr, Melantao, hasu86, and llubreknit for reviewing!! Hope you enjoy this chapter!

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**Chapter 4: Trouble Cubed**

Shadowy hands clung desperately to the folds of her garments, as if in a blatant attempt to keep her from finding that light Anju had ordered her to find. Mist rose in spectral wreaths from the floor as she progressed, to blind her footing. Her senses were thrown off-kilter, forcing her to stumble about as though she were drunk.

"I never signed up for something like this!" Kagome grumbled mutinously, nearly falling for the hundredth time. She found herself drifting to the side to cling to the wall, and jerked back again with an ear-splitting shriek the second her hand met the hard surface. Warm, sticky goo clung messily to her small hand, having suddenly oozed out from the wall. She shook it off as best she could, the miko's disgust apparent on her drawn features.

"Great! I can't walk right, can't see, and now the wall's covered in goodness-knows-what!" A heavy sigh followed the brief rant, "Better hurry up and get it over with before this place gets any more gross."

Being careful to avoid the walls, and moving more slowly to prevent another trip to the pavement below, the girl edged her way down the narrow corridor, wondering how on earth she had been picked to go through this mess.

Almost starting to count on her still slime-covered fingers, she stared at the dim outline of her wronged hand for a moment before opting to use her other hand to aid her mental counting.

"Okay, first of all, I'm a miko. Second, I'm Kikyo's reincarnation—and boy has _that _given me more trouble than I want to think about. Third, I had to go and fall for a hanyou, who is really brash, loud, and arrogant… though he always comes through when I… err, when _we_ need him. Fourth—,"

_"Should you _really_ be wasting your time on _ranting_, little miko?" _

"Eh?!" Blue eyes widened in the gloom, trying to see who had spoken to her_. Something tells me it's not Anju messing with me again… _

**_"You're _much_ too weak to be wasting your time on such foolish antics. Come, let me show you just how weak you are!" _**

Kagome screamed as a silver hand shot out from the wall to her left and pulled her into it with a resounding 'Pop!'

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**Four Days Earlier—**

"We had solved everything in the scrolls kept here—concerning the prophecy, but it seems your servant Jaken has stumbled," the phoenix demon paused to grin at the daiyoukai behind him, "quite literally, I hear, over these new findings." With a grand, sweeping gesture, he motioned towards a new pile of aged scrolls lying neatly upon Sesshoumaru's table. They looked almost insignificant when placed beside the much larger scrolls that dealt with the Western Lord's business.

The Inu-youkai gazed in boredom at the scrolls, his golden eyes hooded and unreadable. "You have already read these."

Hideharu grinned unrepentantly, his flame-colored eyes glinting with mischief. "Perhaps." He continued to smile even as Sesshoumaru shot him an icy glance. "Do read the scrolls, Sesshoumaru-sama. It may prove enlightening."

Refusing to divulge in the sudden urge to snort in contempt at his compatriot's aggravating mannerisms, the Western Lord strode over to the desk. Taking up a scroll, elegant, clawed fingers quickly unrolled the paper to reveal its contents.

_Shikon no Tama, twice bound  
__Is the Miko—Child of Time.  
__Power so pure, fear to taint  
__That which will then save your clan.  
__Eyes of water, hair of night,  
__Skin kissed by the morning light,  
__Archer maid fair—save the soul  
__That wandered far from its home. _

_The Future is past,  
__And the Past is the present,  
__The Miko who opens the door—  
__Listen and heed, adhere to my plea:  
__Twice South, Twice East  
__Once West, Thrice North.  
__Key to the kingdom is yours. _

An elegant brow rose, not at the words—but at the vague writing alongside that most definitely did not seem to have occurred within the same time period as the original script. "You have solved this."

"Not quite, but the description provided will ease our efforts in finding the miko." The phoenix turned to pick up another scroll, then paused in thought. Fiery orbs met golden orbs and held, the older daiyoukai's gaze searching. "You already knew who the miko was," his tone rang with mild accusation.

Flicking back a few wayward locks of silver, the Inu-youkai allowed his features to assume a small measure of smugness. "Of course."

"Do you know the rest of it then?"

"Hn." With the non-committal reply, the Western Lord rose to his feet and moved gracefully towards the doorway. "I shall send Jaken to retrieve her." There was no need to inform the Eastern Lord of his current lack of information, for that would soon be remedied. He paused before sliding the door open, and stepped back slightly.

Hideharu cocked his head at Sesshoumaru's actions. Before he could ask what the other youkai was doing, he felt his son's ki racing down the hall—along with Sesshoumaru's ward and vassal.

The door slid open wildly, nearly coming off and into the room at the fervor with which the young phoenix youkai used to make his entrance. Rin and Jaken appeared in his wake, the young girl's eyes starry as she continued to ignore the toad demon's non-stop berating.

"Father, is Jaken-sama truly going to find the Miko of Time?"

"Sesshoumaru-sama! May I go with Jaken-sama to see the miko?"

"Sesshoumaru-sama! The children won't listen to me, and—!"

Locating a convenient paperweight—a petite, solid jade replica of an Inu-youkai in its tue form—Sesshoumaru chose to silence at least one of the voices. He took aim…

THWACK!

The figurine bounced to the floor, surprisingly unharmed after its abrupt meeting with Jaken's head. As the toad began to sway on the spot, his large eyes wide open and dazed, the younger beings present wisely silenced themselves, not wishing to find themselves in trouble as well.

Two pairs of ruby colored eyes and a set of chocolate brown orbs stared at Sesshoumaru, each with varying measures of amusement and trepidation in their depths.

The Western Lord sighed inwardly, pointedly ignoring the grin spreading across the Eastern Lord's face. He knew, once they heard of Jaken's mission, that Rin and Daichi would want to go—but he had hoped that the toad could have been well on his way before the youth found out.

"Perhaps Rin and Daichi could assist us in solving these riddles. The reward, if they are successful, might be assisting Jaken-san in finding this miko." The daiyoukai pretended to look very thoughtful, tapping a clawed finger against his chin as he spoke.

Sesshoumaru shot him an icy glare, knowing without any doubt that Hideharu had set this up. Why else would they be at this very room, at the exact moment they were discussing such a thing? "Jaken needs no assistance."

"But, Sesshoumaru-sama, Rin would like to travel," the girl pleaded, a wistful note in her tones.

"Please allow me to go, Father, Sesshoumaru-sama. I can protect Jaken-sama!" Daichi argued, pushing back his long ebony bangs as they swung in his face.

Hideharu sensed that the other lord was beginning to grow irate, and that said emotion was directed towards his person. "Let us take a look at a riddle first, shall we?"

Rin picked up a scroll, unrolling it even as Jaken squawked in annoyance at her, his bulging yellow orbs narrowed at her actions. "Put that down immediately, Rin!"

A fist immediately connected with the toad youkai's head, knocking his tall, black hat askew. "Don't yell at Rin," Daichi scowled down at the smaller demon, his ruby eyes flashing with temper. "Didn't you hear my father suggest we look at these?"

"Injuring this Sesshoumaru's vassal was not part of Hideharu-sama's suggestion." The quiet, imperious tones carried throughout the room, despite the fact that he had not spoken loudly.

The young fennikusu-youkai bowed slightly to hide his unrepentant gaze, "Apologies, Sesshoumaru-sama."

The Western Lord turned his icy gaze to the vassal in question, "Rin is permitted to look through the scrolls."

Jaken bowed, nearly falling to the floor in his hurry. "Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama! I humbly apologize for—"

Tuning out the imp, Sesshoumaru inclined his head to Hideharu and made his over-due exit.

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**Present Time—**

"Get off me!" the girl screeched, miko powers flaring in defense.

The icy cold hand let go quickly, having sensed the young miko's rising aura. _**"Care to look around, Kagome?" **_

"Have you lost it? Why would I want to do that when there's nothi—," her voice trailed off as she stared at the space before her. It was as if someone had videotaped portions of her life and had decided to play them on enormous (and invisible) screens.

"Sit!!" Blue eyes widened as she heard her own voice scream out the command at Inuyasha, watched as the half-demon plummeted to the earth in more than one scenario. It was almost humorous, and if it had been under any other circumstance, she would have been occupied with laughing her head off. As it was, she was having a hard time controlling the grin that caused her lips to twitch unmercifully.

Suddenly, all the images disappeared to be replaced with scenes of Kikyo and Inuyasha—when the priestess was still alive.

_**"I can see why he prefers the dead miko."**_ The spectral figure, illuminated by a silvery light, chuckled lightly as it adjusted its hooded cloak. _**"You were always such a violent person." **_

"Why you—!" She paused, her heart sinking as she turned her now weary gaze back to the floating images. They looked so _right_ together, perhaps…

More images appeared, this time featuring both herself and Kikyo. She watched, her stomach twisting itself in painful knots as she noticed how weak she looked in comparison.

_**"Can't say anything about this, can you?"**_ the figure taunted, _**"You always did have the role of the damsel-in-distress down pat, didn't you?" **_

"Shut up!" The cloaked figure raised its hands in mock apology, _**"No need to be distressed about it, Kagome, after all—you always knew that you were the weakest link, didn't you?" **_

Tears formed in her grey-blue eyes, blinding her with the boiling liquid. Her power surged beneath her skin, begging her to use it.

**_"After all, they were all there to protect you. You call them your friends? Hah! They were more like free bodyguards for you!"_**

"Shut up!!"

The room erupted in a blast of energy, tearing apart the scenes as the waves of energy crashed about the room. Kagome stood in the midst of it all, looking like a vengeful goddess as her power surged.

_**"Still not enough to defeat me, Kagome!"**_ The figure drifted away, vanishing into the depths of the wall behind it.

The girl sank to her knees, her palms hitting the floor heavily. Breathing heavily, she fought against the rain of tears that seemed to never want to end. Her heart hurt from the conflicting emotions the wraith had thrust upon her, and her body ached from the sudden rush of power she had emitted.

She beat a fist against the floor, "Why am I so weak?!" Slumping forward, she half-heartedly hit the floor once again, "Why?"

-------------------------------------------------------xoxo

_**:: End Notes ::**_

Okay, I unintentionally lied. This chapter isn't the end of Kagome's training (obviously, ne?), so please bear with me... I really want to show how she's going to grow up and get over Inuyasha during this period, so it may take a few more chapters. And many, many apologies for the horribly lame riddle... I had this inane urge to stick one in, even though I have no talent for them. (sighs) You'll see what it's about in time, though. Also, I had meant to finish and post this chapter even earlier--but I had a lot of really bad things happen this past week, and it was impossible to write during that. Sorry!

I'm really amazed at how many hits this story has had!! Many thanks to everyone who takes the time to read this!! Even more thanks to my lovely reviewers! Keep reviewing, por favor! I'd like to hear what you think about the story!

**--S.o.I.**


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